Hagoromo
by nikkihime
Summary: Kogure accidentally found a girl. She's kind but everybody seemed to hate her. Why so? And how would Kogure react when he founds out where she came from?


Title: Hagoromo

Anime: Slam Dunk

Author: nikki hiiragizawa

Genre: non-yaoi romance/ supernatural

Rating: PG 

Author's Notes: Hello! This is my first non-yaoi Slam Dunk fic. Anyway, this is not an AU but near an AU because it's supernatural. Please mind that I have an original character here. BTW, the Tennyo legend was suggested to me by the animation Ayashi no Ceres.

****

Hagoromo

By: nikki hiiragizawa

__

People, especially the elderly, say the in the dried-up river near the old temple a short train trip from Kanagawa bathe the winged maidens from heavens. They go down, in the dark of the night, and bathe themselves in the cold water. Nobody has seen them, but most of the former villagers living by the river had heard them playing with each other, splashing water about. They believe that these heavenly maidens fly with the aid of their hagoromo, an unknown material that they shed at the edge of the river. They wear it again at dawn, and then they will fly off once more into the heavens, where they reside…

____________________________________________________________________________________

"Arigatou, Mitsui-kun, for accompanying me. I really appreciate it." The autumn sun gleamed on the two people walking away from the streetlights of Kanagawa. The bespectacled young man bowed slightly to his friend.

Mitsui Hisashi smiled at his companion. "It's nothing. How far is your grandmother's house from Kanagawa?" He looked on to the distance they still need to pass in order to reach Kogure Kiminobu's grandmother's abode.

"About a mile. I didn't know what got to mom that she wanted me to visit her." Kogure kicked a pebble. They were nearing the country, and the road was becoming less and less comfortable to walk on. "I won't be there long…but you have to go home before sundown. You mother…"

"Yeah…those people…" Mitsui said, referring to his parents. "They do not trust me enough…"

Kogure nodded in understanding. Suddenly, he turned to his right, revealing in his sight a large but dry river. "This river…" They went near it and observed its desiccated, barren bank. Not even a single form of life could be seen within the river's encompass.

"Pretty dried up, ne?" Mitsui observed as they approached it. "I wonder how strong the drought was that caused this river bed to dry up that easily." 

The vice-captain shrugged. "Well…we'll never know…unless it becomes full of water again. Then we can find the reason of its drying up." 

Mitsui nodded and suggested that they go on. In a few minutes, they finally reached Kogure's grandmother's house. After a few minutes of greeting, Mitsui left, even after Kogure's grandmother enticed him to a wonderful dinner.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Matta ku." Kogure winced as he looked out of the window. "Obaa-san, does it really rain this hard here?"

His grandmother paused from preparing dinner and made her way towards her grandson. "No. This is the first time I have encountered such rain. After the drought two years ago, no rain as hard as this has ever come." She proceeded once more to the kitchen. "Why do you stay here for a while, Nobu-kun?" The rain will stop eventually."

The vice captain of Shohoku was completely disturbed. "And here I am wishing I could practice early tomorrow morning for our semi-finals…" Seeing there was no hope to going out on a stormy night like this, he retired to the kitchen to help his grandmother.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!

Kogure drowsily opened his eyes, and looked at his watch. It was still dark, yet he promised his mom last night that he will return home to change clothing and attend school. The rain stopped, and the still-dark sky was a bit clearer and peaceful than the night before. 

__

Yosha, I have to go home quickly and changer if I want to attend the practice at 6 AM…

"Obaa-san!" Kogure called out to the backyard. _People here wake up really early,_ he observed, as he saw his grandmother already tending to the laundry. "I'll go home now! I have school at seven."

His grandmother gave him an obentou (boxed meal) in return for his visit. "Please take care, Nobu-kun."

Kogure bowed to the old woman before turning away. "I know, obaa-san! Saa, I'll go…"

"Wait." His grandmother looked warily beyond Kogure's shoulder to the road ahead. "Be careful, I say. And whatever happens, do not look back."

"Eh? What do you…"

The old woman pushed him. "You hear me. I won't say it again!" 

Kogure quickly said his good bye's and left, wondering how early will he arrive at Shohoku to practice.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sun had not fully dawned and the weather was a bit cool from the past night's rain. Kogure zipped up his jacket, afraid of catching cold from the cold. Dew hung generously over leaves and blades of grass, and birds started humming their morning medleys.

The young vice-captain hummed a tune as he hurried to the train station. It was good that there was no power failure the night before, or he wouldn't have finished all his homework. Looking forward to school, he decided to walk faster, when he passed by the same river again. This time, all his thoughts of hurrying faded as he gaped at the scene.

The river was full of gushing water. It's as if it hadn't experienced drying up. Silhouettes of fishes could be seen beneath the surface, and Kogure couldn't help but think of how this river, after just a night of rain, got filled up immediately. 

After minutes of pondering though, none of his scientific attitudes could come up with an answer to his question. Shaking his head, he stood up and decided to go on. 

As he walked, he thought he saw a flash of white behind some of the bushes he just passed. He instinctively looked back, wondering if somebody passed him or if an object fell nearby. Kogure adjusted his glasses on his nose and glanced around. 

There was no white object or anything nearby.

__

Where have I seen it? He thought as he struggled to get past his memories. He remembered seeing that white flash among the bushes and he decided to go back and look at those once more. Retracing his steps, he went back to the place where he stood for long before. 

He looked around once more, getting that familiar sensation he had before…one of uneasiness. He figured that his curiosity won't disappear if he won't go looking for that object he thought he had seen…so it wouldn't hurt if he does look. 

__

Aha! There it is. Something white was sticking out from underneath the bushes. He crept towards it, taking care not to stain his clothes with mud from the newly-watered soil. Gingerly, he picked it up and held it close to his face for inspection.

It was a long piece of cloth, something like a shawl. It was nothing the young vice-captain had seen before. Made of something light, shimmering, and thin, it was nothing like silk or any fabric. It felt like spider's web to the touch but as study as any cloth. 

Kogure's chocolate eyes meticulously studied the piece of fabric. It was interesting, though he cannot help from asking himself where it came from. Shrugging, he folded the fabric neatly and decided to ask Akagi about it. He stuffed the cloth into his bag and stood up, looking at his watch to find out that he spent too much time studying the river. It was almost time for his practice. 

Matta ku…I guess I'll have to skip practice in the morning and stay up to 7 tonight… he thought as he walked towards the train station once more.

"Matte kudasai (Please wait!)!" a voice dripping with plea, said. Kogure turned around but there's no one there. Thinking he was being haunted, he walked faster. 

"Please! Turn back!: the voice said once more. It sounded of a girl crying for help, and the bespectacled boy cannot help but turn around. This time, his effort was answered. 

A girl, about sixteen or so, was standing at the edge of the river, her form hidden beneath the water. Her black hair was matted against her fair face and her purple eyes showed tiredness and anxiety. Concerned, Kogure went back.

"Are you alright, miss?" he asked as he held out a hand. "Take my hand, the current is really strong." The girl must have fallen into the river and cannot go back to the bank. 

Smiling, the girl gave all her trust to him and held out her hand to grasp his. Using all of his strength, he pulled out the girl out of the water. The girl lay on the bank, breathing heavily and clutching a hand to her chest. Seeing that the girl wore nothing but a thin dress, Kogure took off his jacket and wrapped it around the girl. 

"The…city…" the girl rasped, eyelids drooping from too much fatigue.

Kogure looked at her quizzically, thought his major concern was to keep the girl warm. "City? You mean Kanagawa?" The girl nodded and taking a deep breath, collapsed in Kogure's arms. 

"Huh…ah wait! Miss! Wake up!" Kogure stared at the bundle on his lap. How is he going to go to Kanagawa with a fainted girl? Shrugging, he decided to carry the girl on his back and went back to his grandmother's house. 

__

Maa, of all the days this will happen… Kogure thought as he staggered against the weight of the girl. Surprisingly though, this girl was not as heavy as he imagined she would be. _I guess I'll have to skip school today, really. _Thinking about the weird things that happened today, he sighed and decided that he too, needed a break. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Author's Notes: Sigh…please wait for the next chapter. This fic is the first of my Slam Dunk supernatural trilogy. MitsuiSelphie, your turn will come next…muahahaha…..^^

Disclaimer: Slam Dunk is owned by Inoue Takehiko. Only the OC and the plot is mine. This fic is made by a fan for fans. Please do not sue. 

__


End file.
